This
arrangement for concert band, by Robert Getz, was commissioned by
Patricia Forguites and is respectfully
dedicated to Douglas Alan
Doughertyin recognition of decades of artistry and dedication to young musicians . . .
"changing the world one student at a time."

The Challenge
was written first with brass band accompaniment in 1935 by Eric
Ball, then an Adjutant in The Salvation Army in England. However, it was not
published until 1939. The piece was written specifically for William "Will"
Overton, then principal trumpet in the BBC Orchestra and a Deputy Bandmaster in
The Salvation Army. Will and Eric (piano) recorded the piece for Regal Zonophone records at the time, which recording survives on a 78 r.p.m. disk,
issued in 1943 (see:
www.regalzonophone.com).

Eric was then
the darling of The Salvation Army world, including early rank promotions and
appointment as Bandmaster of the preeminent International Staff Band. His
talent was colossal and his persona was gentle, genteel and spiritually charged
in a quiet way. As a musician (composer, conductor, pianist and euphoniumist)
he was self-taught. Regardless, he had flawless technique, was totally at home
with classical forms, and was even engaged to conduct the London Symphony in a
series of concerts in 1948.

Eric remains
the leading composer in the history of the worldwide brass band movement and was
a beloved saint. On April 6, 1944 he was forced to resign his commission as a
Salvation Army Officer (clergy) over a silly misunderstanding of appearances,
and was quite ostracized from that organization for well over a decade.
Eventually there was a reconciliation, and finally, in 1977, a certificate of
appreciation was presented to him from the General of the Army (worldwide
leader). Through the whole of it Eric never uttered a criticism of the Army or
in any way showed any rancor. You can learn more in Peter Cooke's "Eric Ball,
the man and his music" (Egon Publishers, Ltd - UK).

The Challenge
is well named. It would be a great mistake to misunderstand that
the "challenge" is only of a musical or performance dimension. Christian
spirituality pervaded every fiber of Eric's being throughout his life and
dominated even his secular output of compositions. The text of the tune employed
is a challenge in its own way. While the piece
follows classical formal lines, it is actually built upon a hymn tune, "All
Hail, I'm Saved!" There is no attribution for the tune other than "Ranter tune"
(The Ranters were a radical English sect in the time of the Commonwealth, who
were regarded as heretical by the established Church of that period.) The words
are of anonymous origin, but likely from within The Salvation Army. Eric was
very conscious of the words to hymns when he wrote. However, Eric's treatment
of this tune is truly, in this writer's estimation, a case of a master turning a
musical sow's ear into a silk purse.

There are
certain aspects of the piece that may guide a performer in its performance. To
begin, it is published for trumpet in an organization that eschews trumpets in
favor of the traditional short-model cornets used in the brass band movement.
This should be carefully considered when interpreting it. It was a very major
step for someone to try to buck the extremely rigid and bureaucratic Army of
those days. Yet Eric prevailed and the solo was published for trumpet first in
1939 with piano accompaniment (strangely absent the 4 measure introduction which
is included on the recording - Instrumental Album No. 24 -Salvationist
Publishing & Supplies, UK.). In 1990 (55 years after its first appearance, and
a year after Eric went to Heaven!) it was finally published for brass band
(Number 482 in the Judd Street Collection, SP&S UK). It can be assumed that
there were not enough capable trumpet players within The Salvation Army over the
years to make it viable to publish the band version, though it was widely used
in manuscript all along.

After
the title and use of trumpet versus cornet, the next signal Eric gives the
performer is the marking of f marcato (loud and
pronounced)at the outset.
It
may seem silly to offer these reminders but there is a recording of the piece by
an internationally renowned trumpeter that could only be described as effeminate
at the outset. Inversely, I own a recording by a woman trumpeter that is most
appropriately robust. I have heard it played on cornet in the syrupy style of
the brass band movement with all imaginable permutations of the diabolical upper
register trills . . . except those that are written! This piece is for masters
of the trumpet only.

Another clue to
interpretation is the opening theme itself. It is hard to imagine any figure
more appropriately "trumpetish" without becoming a caricature or cliche. This
is, of course, not to say that the entire piece is of a robust nature, only that
the extremely tender portions will be enhanced by the contrast with pronounced
statements of the main theme and other materials calling for stalwart
statements. The musical/emotional/dynamic range of the piece is vast.

The arranger has tried as much as possible to keep the
accompaniment from overshadowing the soloist, while keeping the tonal color
appropriate, alive and interesting for the listener. Eric was my dear lifelong
friend, and I hope I have done him a service and not a disservice in this
arrangement. As I was reminded by Ms. Forguites when she commissioned this,
Emerson said, "The reward of a thing well done is to have done it." I was
aware of Eric's reward in this regard with every note I wrote. God bless
you! EXCELSIOR! Bob Getz

Eric Ball &
Bob Getz Will Overton 1956

Conductors' note: The piece is scored for at least the following
instrumentation - piccolo (optional), Flute (several, not a plethora), oboe,
English Horn (or second oboe), bassoons (2), Bb clarinet 1&2 (several each, not
a plethora), alto and bass clarinet, alto sax (2), tenor sax, baritone sax,
cornet 1/3 & 2 (several each, not a plethora), horns 1 & 2 (4), tenor trombone
(2) & bass trombone (or 3rd), 2 euphoniums, tuba (one or two), timpani, and
percussion (snare, bass, suspended cymbal, crash cymbal, tambourine, triangle.
Percussion is as Ball wrote it. Obviously each conductor will allocate
resources according to his/her best judgment. Deference to the music and the
soloist are clearly desired. The arranger has striven to treat this as the
masterpiece it is and not as just another band piece.